Nonlinear spin and orbital Rashba-Edelstein effects induced by a femtosecond laser pulse: Simulations for Au(001)

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates the ultrafast, nonlinear spin and orbital Edelstein effects on Au(001) surfaces induced by femtosecond laser pulses, revealing distinct temporal behaviors and charge, spin, and orbital current dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a real-space tight-binding simulation approach to explore the nonlinear ultrafast spin and orbital responses to laser excitation, highlighting differences in their dynamics.

Findings

Distinct temporal profiles for spin and orbital responses.

Laser-induced spin and orbital Hall effects observed.

Quantified angular momentum transfer during excitation.

Abstract

Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling gives rise to distinctive surface and interface phenomena, such as spin-momentum locking and spin splitting. In nonequilibrium settings, one of the key manifestations is the (Rashba-)Edelstein effect, where an electric current generates a net spin or orbital polarization perpendicular to the current direction. While the steady-state behavior of these effects is well studied, their dynamics on ultrafast timescales remain largely unexplored. In this work, we present a theoretical investigation of the ultrafast spin and orbital Edelstein effects on an Au(001) surface, triggered by excitation with a femtosecond laser pulse. These effects are intrinsic and inherently nonlinear. Using a real-space tight-binding model combined with time evolution governed by the von Neumann equation, we simulate the electron dynamics in response to the pulse. Our results reveal pronounced differences between the spin and orbital responses, offering detailed insights into their distinct temporal profiles and magnitudes. We further explore the associated charge, spin, and orbital currents, including the emergence of laser-induced spin and orbital Hall effects. Finally, we quantify the angular momentum transfer mediated by the light-matter interaction. These findings shed light on the intricate ultrafast dynamics driven by spin-orbit coupling and offer guidance for the design of next-generation spintronic and orbitronic devices.